


September's Raid

by sunflower_sky



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Grishaverse Big Bang 2019
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:56:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23390560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflower_sky/pseuds/sunflower_sky
Summary: The Crows prepare for the wildest heist of their lives: Area 51.
Relationships: Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck, Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa, Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik
Kudos: 10





	1. The Plan

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost to a new AO3 account! All further updates of the fic will be posted here. Enjoy! Also, I'm not used to AO3 formatting, so please excuse any formatting mistakes :)

PART ONE: THE PLAN

Kaz Brekker interlaced his gloved hands, staring down the Wylan. “Why should I break into Area 51 for you? I don’t see a benefit.”

Wylan shifted his weight. “It would be fucking cool to find out if aliens exist. Also, I'll pay you."

“How much?” He narrowed his eyes.

“How does forty million kruge sound?”

“Delightful. Make it fifty, and then we’ll talk.”

“My father gave you thirty for breaking into the Ice Court!” Wylan protested.

“It’s your business offer. I’ll fold. A bit. Forty-five, and you need to contact Nina and Inej.”

He nearly choked. “But we haven’t heard from Inej since she left.”

“You haven’t. Make it happen, or there won’t be a heist.” Kaz stood from his desk chair, crow-headed cane already firmly in his hand.

“I just thought you could do it because I didn’t think anyone else could.”

“It’s a challenge, I know that much. But for forty-five million kruge…” His facial expression had shifted to one Wylan knew quite well. Scheming face. “I need you and that boyfriend of yours. We have a heist to pull off.”  
~~~

Inej Ghafa, Dirtyhands’ former spider, had unsheathed her knives yet again. She had captured the captain of a slave ship, and now his blood would spill on the deck as payment for thepassage. Assigning one of her crewmates to man the ship, she crept down to the hold, freeing everyone. They could sail back to where they came from, or become a part of her crew. It was a choice, and an interesting one. She didn’t see the seagull at first until it dropped an envelope on the deck of the ship. She turned, curious. A perfect black seal with a crow’s head. She opened the envelope, and finding, in Jesper’s perfect scrawl, a letter, and a single dried flower. She unfurled it curiously.

_‘Hi, Inej!  
 _No, you need to make it more formal!  
 _Okay, okay, fine.  
 _Dearest Inej,  
 _Kaz wants you to-  
 _THAT’S TOO ABRUPT!  
 _Okay, well, how about, you dictate, and I’ll write, merch?  
 _I thought we were already doing that!’  
________

That was definitely Wylan and Jesper. She missed watching them argue and drive each other wild. She continued to read, wondering what the couple had to say.

____Dearest Inej, we, Wylan and Jesper, and absolutely nobody else, would like to request for you to come back to Kerch for a job.  
 _Wylan, you have to mention Kaz at some point.  
 _Fine, Kaz wants you for another job and wanted us to tell you. We’re breaking into Area 51, but we need a way to get to the Southern Colonies. I thought we could perhaps get a boat from our _favorite deadly captain?  
 _We’ll make it quick, we promise.  
 _Yeah, it was Wy’s idea to see if aliens exist.  
 _Also, we’re paying Kaz 45 million kruge so we kinda really need you to agree to this…’  
________ _ _

She chuckled, watching their conversation heat up. Wow, 45 million kruge? She could buy a fleet of ships for that. It was a rather enticing proposal, and she DID want to see Nina and the gang again. And Kaz. Oh, saints, Kaz Brekker. Could she really stand two weeks on board her ship with the insufferable schemer? She thought of how he had found her family again, and how they had left off. Maybe she could. All she needed was an idea. Inej went to her quarters on the ship, plucking a pen off her desk, and dashed back a reply.

___  
_I’ll be in the harbor by sundown tomorrow.  
~~~_ _ _ _

Nina woke to a letter, which had somehow found its way to her, in the middle of Ravka. She was traveling to go see Matthias, who was now living near Os Kervo. She had gone back to The Little Palace to seek training for her newfound powers and to separate herself from the dangerous drug that was jurda parem, and it had mostly succeeded. She still felt the empty cravings sometimes, burning her from the inside out, but not of the magnitude she had the first few weeks. She opened the letter cautiously, hoping it was something from Matthias. Nina was only mildly disappointed when she realized it was Jesper’s tidy lettering and not the penmanship of her boyfriend.

_Nina, darling, we’d love to have you back in Ketterdam for a heist (read: Wylan made an irresponsible financial decision and now we’re going to Area 51 with Kaz and we need you)._   
_Anyway, bring Matthias, we’ll meet you at the harbor in Os Kervo with Inej if our plan goes well._   
_Oh, and if you need an incentive, we’re paying Kaz forty-five million kruge and splitting it. And yes, we will buy you all the waffles you could possibly eat._

She laughed a bit, Jesper’s humor still evident, even in writing form. She was quite partial to Kerch waffles, though, and it wouldn’t hurt to see her friends again.

  
_See you in Ravka!_   
_xoxo Jesper and Wylan._

Nina smiled slightly. Of course, she would go visit Wylan and Jesper, and she was sure Matthias wouldn’t mind coming, too. But a little twinge of doubt struck her. What if she still wasn’t powerful enough to be useful? No. She had spread the plague without her old powers and helped save Kuwei Yul-Bo from being hunted. She could do this. Besides, her friends wouldn’t care if she could still crush someone’s windpipe or drop their pulse, just if she stayed alive. She was glad to be near Kribirsk, but the idea of crossing what had used to be the Unsea still made her uneasy. Who knew if the Darkling would be back? She continued on, determination burning in her chest. After the Ice Court, she felt like Area 51 would be a piece of cake. One last heist, if only for old times’ sake. She figured she would write back as soon as she was able, but she still had to worry about getting to Os Kervo safely. It would take her a few days until she reached it, but the road from Kribirsk would take her right to it.  
~~~  
Jesper paced anxiously, waiting for the replies from Nina, Matthias, and Inej. Wylan was sprawled on one of the chairs in the living room, watching his boyfriend carefully.

  
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Jes. Kaz said-”

  
“Kaz says a lot of things, merchling. Whether or not he means them is another story. I don’t think even he can predict how Nina and Inej will react to the letters. We basically commanded them to come.”

  
“I know, Jesper. I think Nina will be excited, especially since you promised waffles. Inej, well, she’s free now, but she is going to steer the ship.” He stood, and took Jesper’s hand. “Like most of Kaz’s plans, this one is bound to succeed.”

  
The letter from Inej swept gracefully onto the floor from the leg of a passing crow, and Jesper picked it up. He scanned the single line, brow furrowing before he broke into a grin. “‘I’ll be in the harbor by sundown tomorrow.’” He read it excitedly. “We have to let Kaz know. I’ll bet he’ll want to see her.”

  
“And I’ll bet that there’s gonna be tension of some sort. Let’s hope things aren’t batshit crazy, we ARE going to sail for two weeks.”

  
“I thought we were going to the Southern Colonies.” Jesper’s shoulders had relaxed and he stopped pacing. “That’s where Area 51 is, isn’t it?”

  
It was Wylan’s turn to fidget. “Actually, I’m not quite sure where it is. Kaz just said we’d be going. It’s probably past the Southern Colonies, in some remote place we don’t know.”  
“I think it’s called Nevada, and it’s definitely a place people know.”

  
Wylan laughed. “I know, Nevada has a lot of people. I just mean Area 51 as a whole, it’s in a remote spot of Nevada. I hope Kaz has a simple plan.”  
“When does Kaz ever have a simple plan?”

  
“Touché.”

  
Jesper settled on the couch near Wylan, his leg bouncing slightly. “We need to let Kaz know, though. He was starting to make an alternative plan,” Wylan said sensibly.  
“For forty-five million kruge, Kaz will make hundreds of plans.”

  
Wylan smirked. “Who’s telling Kaz that Inej said yes?”

  
“Whoever didn’t promise Nina all the waffles she could eat,” Jesper grinned.

  
“I AM the one who’s paying Kaz. I suppose it’s best I do it,” Wylan relented.

  
“No mourners,” Jesper murmured.

  
“No funerals,” Wylan finished.


	2. Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crows meet up on the ship and start to make the tiniest inklings of a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dude, we're getting the band back together!

Kaz had just gotten back to his office when Wylan burst through the door.

“Kaz!”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Inej said yes to us sailing to Area 51 on her ship!”

“I expected that,” he said dryly. “It’s news nonetheless. Have you heard anything from Nina or Matthias?”

“Nothing yet.”

“Nina’s in Os Alta. She mentioned Grisha training. And I happen to know that Matthias is in Os Kervo. She’s bound to be traveling with him, and if my calculations are right, you should get a reply from her soon.” He deliberately tapped his fingers on his cane. “Don’t burst into my office again unless it’s a real emergency, Wylan. Now, I have statements from The Crow Club to file. I suggest you leave unless you want to be up all night adding numbers and acquiring funds.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me about your plan?” 

“Do I need to?”

“You know, maybe I’ll just go…” Wylan left.

~~~~~~~

It was late by the time Nina reached the city. She scanned the few people still out, hoping to catch a glimpse of Matthias. Alas, he was nowhere to be found, and she still needed a place to stay for the night. The hotel on one of the major streets seemed promising, and she ducked in to get a room. It still felt odd to be back in Ravka, even after spending a few months there. She checked in quickly and headed off to her room to reply to the letter. 

_I’m in Os Kervo. No Matthias yet, but a heist sounds wonderful. See you in the harbor, boys!_

She would send the letter in the morning, but right now, sleep was calling her, and she answered. 

Nina awoke to sunlight filtering through the thin curtains of the room. Untangling herself from the rumpled comforter, she grabbed the clock on the nightstand, only to find it broken and stopped. With a sigh, she got out of bed and changed into practical clothing for the sea voyage. She rushed downstairs quickly, re-reading the letter to see if either of the boys had mentioned a meeting time.

Stomach rumbling, she stopped at a nearby cafe, hoping to grab a waffle. Unfortunately, the shop was fresh out. She settled for a croissant and scanned the crowded dining room for a spot to sit. An empty spot by the window stood out to her, and she headed towards it. Out of the corner of her eye, Nina spotted a flash of blond. She turned, looking into the clear blue eyes of the Fjerdan she knew so well. 

“Matthias?”

“Nina?” His lips quirked in a recognizing smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I was looking for you. Also, Jesper and Wylan sent this.” She handed the letter to him, taking a bite of the croissant. “Come with me. It’ll be fun!”

“Nina, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Please?”

Matthias couldn’t resist Nina’s cute face. “For you, Nina Zenik, I would take the voyage a hundred times.”

Nina smiled, eyes sparkling. Matthias hadn’t seen her this lively since the Ice Court scheme. He felt her fingers close gently around his wrist, feeling her try to pull him towards the door. 

“They’re in the harbor already! We need to go if we’re meeting them!” Nina’s boots clicked against the wooden floor. Matthias allowed himself to be half-dragged by his girlfriend, still reluctant from the last heist. Outside, the cold sunlight beamed down on the pair as they scurried to the harbor. The flags of the _Wraith_ fluttered in the breeze, and Inej came swinging down from the Crow’s Nest. 

“Nina! So good to see you!” Inej’s knife collection had grown from the last time Nina saw her. Glints of metal flashed from her boots and jacket sleeves if the sun caught it just right. 

“ _Demjin_ ,” Matthias growled. Kaz Brekker had made his way from the bow of the ship to greet them. Well, maybe not greet them, but see them nonetheless. 

“Nina. Matthias. You know the plan, yes?”

“Kaz, none of us know the plan,” Inej responded. 

“We sail across the True Sea, make our way to the deserts of Nevada, and break into Area 51.”

“Well, we know that, but how?” Matthias barely smoothed over his frustration. Kaz’s mysteriousness was infuriating sometimes. 

The gang leader didn’t respond. 

“Do you...actually have a plan?” Nina was going to needle him for details.

“Do you have your Heartrending back?” 

“It’s the desert. There won’t _be_ anybody to use my old powers on.”

“Not without the distraction, there won’t.” Kaz strode back to the bow, ending the discussion.

The gangplank was pulled up, and the boat flew through the water. The air was brisk and the cold began to seep through Nina’s jacket. It was cold for early September. Shivering a bit, she walked to the stern of the ship. Inej had been quiet, steering through the waves. 

“So, slave ship hunting! How’s that been going?” Nina tried to lessen the awkwardness.

“Oh, it’s been successful. I’m glad I’ve been able to save so many young people. A few have joined my crew, actually. When did you leave Ketterdam?” 

“A few months ago. After the scare with Matthias, we thought it would be good to hide him in a place the Fjerdans wouldn’t expect,” Nina explained.

“The Ravkan capital? Quite dangerous.”

“I suppose, yeah.” She couldn’t help shivering from the high deck. Inej casually removed her captain’s jacket and draped it loosely around Nina’s shoulders. “Thanks.”

“Of course, Nina.” Inej turned her head slightly. “Do you have any idea where Kaz is trying to take us? I don’t remember seeing Nevada on any maps.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s somewhere past the Southern Colonies. Way past.” 

“And Brekker expects us there in two weeks? He’s cutting this close.”

“Any news on what Kaz’s supposed distraction is?”

Inej shrugged. “All I know is that he asked Wylan to figure out a more intense flash bomb and that we’re going to need a crowd of people.”

“Like the Kömedie Brute scheme?”

Inej shuddered at the memory of that hammer. “Yes. Like that scheme.”

“How many people did he get?”

“With enough money, you can get as much of a crowd as you want.”

“Where are Wylan and Jesper?”

“Oh, they went down to the hold for flash bomb supplies. They should be back by now…”

Nina reddened at the idea of what they might be doing. As if on cue, the boys sauntered up the stairs, Wylan’s arms full of chemicals and gunpowder. Both of their eyes lit up when they saw her.

“Nina!

So good to see you!” Inej’s knife collection had grown from the last time Nina saw her. Glints of metal flashed from her boots and jacket sleeves if the sun caught it just right. 

“ _ Demjin _ ,” Matthias growled. Kaz Brekker had made his way from the bow of the ship to greet them. Well, maybe not greet them, but see them nonetheless. 

“Nina. Matthias. You know the plan, yes?”

“Kaz, none of us know the plan,” Inej responded. 

“We sail across the True Sea, make our way to the deserts of Nevada, and break into Area 51.”

“Well, we know that, but how?” Matthias barely smoothed over his frustration. Kaz’s mysteriousness was infuriating sometimes. 

The gang leader didn’t respond. 

“Do you...actually have a plan?” Nina would pry him for details.

“Do you have your Heartrending back?” 

“It’s the desert. There won’t  _ be _ anybody to use my old powers on.”

“Not without the distraction, there won’t.” Kaz strode back to the bow, ending the discussion.

The gangplank was pulled up, and the boat flew through the water. The air was brisk and the cold began to seep through Nina’s jacket. It was cold for early September. Shivering a bit, she walked to the stern of the ship. Inej had been quiet, steering through the waves. 

“So, slave ship hunting! How’s that been going?” Nina tried to lessen the awkwardness.

“Oh, it’s been successful. I’m glad I’ve been able to save so many young people. A few have joined my crew, actually. When did you leave Ketterdam?” 

“A few months ago. After the scare with Matthias, we thought it would be good to hide him in a place the Fjerdans wouldn’t expect,” Nina explained.

“The Ravkan capital? Quite dangerous.”

“I suppose, yeah.” She couldn’t help shivering from the high deck. Inej casually removed her captain’s jacket and draped it loosely around Nina’s shoulders. “Thanks.”

“Of course, Nina.” Inej turned her head slightly. “Do you have any idea where Kaz is trying to take us? I don’t remember seeing Nevada on any maps.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s somewhere past the Southern Colonies. Way past.” 

“And Brekker expects us there in two weeks? He’s cutting this close.”

“Any news on what Kaz’s supposed distraction is?”

Inej shrugged. “All I know is that he asked Wylan to figure out a more intense flash bomb and that we’re going to need a crowd of people.”

“Like the Kömedie Brute scheme?”

Inej shuddered at the memory of that hammer. “Yes. Like that scheme.”

“How many people did he get?”

“With enough money, you can get as much of a crowd as you want.”

“Where are Wylan and Jesper?”

“Oh, they went down to the hold for flash bomb supplies. They should be back by now…”

Nina reddened at the idea of what they might be doing. As if on cue, the boys sauntered up the stairs, Wylan’s arms full of chemicals and gunpowder. Both of their eyes lit up when they saw her. 

“Oh, awesome, Nina! You made it!” 

She nodded, a grin spreading across her face. “Well, I  _ was  _ promised Kerch waffles.” 

“Fair enough. We’ll make them when we come back. If we come back.” Wylan looked off into the waves, and then back at her. “Got any idea what Kaz is gonna do?”

“Not a clue,” she shrugged. "

I could probably get it out of him if I pestered him enough.”

“Two weeks with Kaz in close quarters, this is bound to get interesting,” Jesper remarked.

“Honey, you won’t even notice, we’ll probably be below deck figuring this out anyway,” Wylan replied. Wylan laid out the materials on Inej’s desk in her captain’s quarters, examining everything. “Yeah, we should have enough for a few colored flash bombs. I wish I could get a clearer picture about the size of this display, though.

Kaz’s shadow loomed in the entryway. “In the morning. If you pay me a hundred kruge.”

“Mid-afternoon for fifty.”

“Fine.”

Nina tried to hold back a laugh. “You’re being bribed for fifty kruge to tell us your plan? That was all we had to do this whole time?”

“No, I just have specifics I’d like to discuss.” His cane thumped on the wooden planks of the ship, receding down the stairs. 

Nina shuddered a bit. She wasn’t fond of the below decks areas of ships.

Quickly exiting the cabin to let the two boys work, she found herself at the railing of the deck, right next to Matthias. The wind blew through his hair dramatically, riffling it up all spiky. He stared at her for a moment. 

“We haven’t seen each other for a while. How have you been, my love?”

“Oh, it’s been great getting to be back in my homeland! You never really know how much you miss something until you come back. What did you think of Os Kervo?”

Matthias held back a response about the inhumanity of Grishas. “It’s… definitely different than Fjerda.” His fists tightened against the railings. “Look, we should talk about this another time.” 

“All we  _ have  _ right now is time. What’s troubling you?”

“You have a home to go back to. A place where you’re loved and accepted. I don’t really have anywhere like that. It’s great that you enjoy Ravka, but Fjerda’s got no desire to see me again.”

“Okay, yeah, because you abandoned your post, betraying your fellow soldiers, and tried to wipe out tons of Grisha, which hurt Ravka. You tried to kill me. Multiple times.”

“Nina, you know I love you.”

“Falling for one abomination doesn’t mean that you can’t hate the rest of them. I’ve seen that uneasy look in your eyes way too many times to count.” 

Inej had approached them so silently, the two lovers had quarreled for several more minutes before they realized she was there. “If you two would be civil for a few more minutes, I’d love to go over a game plan. And establish some rules.”

Nina looked down at Inej guiltily. “Maybe we should talk about this later. Get a fresh perspective. I know adjusting to something that goes against what you’ve been taught can be incredibly challenging, but maybe some time spent working separately can kind of...clear our minds.”

Matthias begrudgingly nodded. 

“Besides, Kaz might actually kill you if you interfere with his plan.”

“It’s settled, then. We’ll pick back up tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow it is.”

As Matthias stormed off, she had a sinking feeling that tomorrow might never come, but she had to stay hopeful and keep the team going. “Inej, I really don’t think I can do this.”

The sea captain wrapped her jacket tighter around Nina’s shoulders. “Of course you can. Matthias is an angry dandelion with a challenging personality. Somehow, the two of you have got to work as a team.”

“I didn’t mean the argument. I can try to patch things up. I mean the heist. Kaz hasn’t even gotten to the second step!” 

“I checked a map. He really isn’t going to want us to know how far inland Nevada is. We’ll have to dock somewhere past the Southern Colonies and make the trek on foot. I don’t even think all the saints in the world could get us there on his schedule.”

“But it’s Kaz, he’s obviously got something worked out.” 

“Only tomorrow will tell.”

The pair watched the waves and the seagulls, calm again in the crisp ocean air. 


End file.
